Silchar school opts for multi-religious campus
Source: C M Paul *

Silchar, May 11 2018: In a rare show of inter-faith display of multi-religious acceptance in an educational institution, a Catholic school in Bharatiya Janata Party ruled Assam state has used Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Buddhist, Jain and Sikh religious symbols in the newly built school facility to inspire and instruct its pupils in tolerance and harmonious living in a pluri-religius setting.

Holy Cross Bishop Stephen Rotluanga of Aizwal conducted the blessing of Don Bosco School Silchar Extension building while Salesian Provincial of Shillong Dr George Maliekal unveiled the dedication plaque and inaugurated the building,11 May 2018.Present at the event were Sri Aminul Haque Laskar (MLA), Sri Lakshmanan S, (IAS, DC of Cachar), Sri Rakesh Roushan, (IPS, SP of Cachar), and many other eminent guests, including clergy, religious, parents and students.

Silchar school opts for multi-religious campus

"The building has been erected to give vent to the ideology of proper growth of the mind, body and spirit.

It's a structure interwoven with a dream of providing the community an educational field where the children will build their capacities and aspirations," says School Manager Br.

Reggy Joseph Cherukunnel.

The special attraction of the new building is a spacious and serene prayer room where the students of any religion can go and pray.

It has also a park dedicated to the major religions of India with life size statues to inculcate in students the importance to respect the faith of every individual.

Brother Reggy adds, "It is the intentional choice of the educative community to instill in the students, our traditional Indian core values of religious tolerance and harmonious inter-faith living" .

Life size statues installed incude goddess of wisdom Saraswati standing on a lotus pedestal, Mother Mary sitting and teaching child Jesus while foster father St.

Joseph stands by, Lord Buddha, Guru Nanak and a large mural of the Holy Shrines in Mecca.

"We have presented these religious scenes, to show the need for young minds to acknowledge the reality of multi-religious scenario and learn tolerance as an essentail aspect of education," says Church Art Kolkata CEO Mr Subrata Ganguly the man behind the excution of these concepts in fibre glass.

The new co-educational English medium school facility is set up at Sankarbasti village about two kms away from the existing campus in Silchar town in a 12 acre campus with The earlier school opened in 2006, is affiliated to the Central Board of Secondary Education, New Delhi.

Though established for the education of the Christian minority community, the school is open to all, irrespective of religion, caste or community.

The school has 120 qualified, experienced and faculty members along with 10 Office staff and 30 support staff under the leadership of Fr.Joseph Nelson as Rector and Principal.

All the classrooms are digitized and fitted with CCTV Cameras.

There are 3 fully equipped and well furnished Science Labs separately for Physics, Chemistry and Biology.

There is also a well stocked Library and a spacious Reading room.

Nearing completion are digital library, gym, callisthenic park, and swiming pool.

The School has also fully furnished computer lab with 60 computers for the students.

It has huge Sporting complex with facilities for various sports such as Football, Basketball, Cricket, Hockey, Kho-Kho, Kabadi, Badminton, Lawn Tennis and Volleyball.

A fleet of 19 school buses ensure the timely transport of students.

The school also runs a free evening school for some 450 marginalized and financially backward children of the neighboring villages.

Other than academic curriculum it also offers variety of co-curricular, skill-oriented activities like dance class, both classical and western, martial arts, music and various sporting activities.

The school has a future plan to adopt the neighboring government school and help out in development of infrastructure as well as in bringing quality education.

* The sender of this news can be contacted at cmpaul53(AT)gmail(DOT)com .